287 
THE VETERINARIAN, MAY 1, 1857. 
Ne quid falsi dicere audeat, ne quid veri non audeat. 
Cicero. 
THE APPREHENDED MURRAIN. 
The profession, we feel assured, will be gratified on being 
informed that Professor Simonds, accompanied by Mr. 
Ernes, M.R.C.V.S., started for the Continent, on the 9th 
ult., in compliance with the resolution of the Council of the 
Royal Agricultural Society of England, recorded elsewhere ; 
bearing with him a letter of introduction from the Secretary 
of State for the Foreign Department, the Earl of Clarendon, 
to the different English Consuls, requesting them to facili- 
tate his inquiries by giving him all the assistance they could 
in his investigations as to the nature of the above disease. 
Doubtless, it is one respecting which the utmost appre- 
hension, amounting to alarm, prevails in the public mind at 
the present moment; this arising from its great importance 
whether viewed professionally or commercially. It may be, 
that the fears raised are exaggerated. We hope they are, 
for it is a fact, that we are more alarmed at epidemics or 
epizootics, w 7 hen at a distance, than when they are among 
us. Yet it behoves us to take every means to prevent their 
outbreak or introduction, and we cannot but think that the 
steps taken for this purpose are judicious. 
In proportion to the importance of the subject, so will be 
the anxiety with which the public will wait for Mr. Simonds* 
report. It is quite possible that much conjecture exists as to 
the true nature of the malady, but of its ravages there can 
be no doubt. Of this proof is given in the communications by 
Mr. T. W. Mayer, in the present number, which will be 
read with interest by the members of the profession, and 
also others. 
The public press and the medical journals, have of late 
contained many articles of considerable value, both as it 
